Archive for the ‘from the shop’ Tag

When you buy wood, you’re buying a natural product that is not perfect. Wood has knots. Checks. Voids. Cracks. Part of the intrigue of the craft is figuring out what to do with each piece of wood: finding the perfect project for each piece. That sounds like fun … until you get a piece like this one.

Black Walnut, 8/4 stock, with a knot and void … on this side. Sapwood (the light colored, younger wood) showing on the right edge.

This is an end cut – the end of a big, long board that was left because it’s just a bit short. I primarily use 24″ lengths of “8/4,” or “eight quarter,” lumber to make large cutting boards. This end cut piece is … 23″ x 12-1/4.” If I use that with longer lumber, I just end up shortening the good pieces I pair it with into waste, so this piece has to wait for me to find another use for it. A perfect use.

And it’s been waiting a long time.

This is a financial decision, in part. This end cut board is 2 full board feet, so it cost about $20. You don’t just throw away $20.

The problem isn’t readily apparent on the front side of the board … but when you flip it over to look at the back, the challenge is apparent:

The small knot at the bottom doesn’t look too bad, though it goes completely through the board. However, the large knot at the top is a big defect that’s hidden inside the board and travels towards the other knot. I think. That entire chalk circle is waste … in the middle of the board.

When a cut off board is waiting for me to find inspiration, it lives in the shop in some nook or cranny until I can figure out what to do with it. The root problem for me is that I’m out of nooks. And crannies.

I have no space. No. Space.

That means boards that are waiting for me to find the “perfect use” sit out on the floor, leaning against a handy vertical, just waiting for me to trip over them. Or knock them over. Or have to move them so I can get at whatever is being blocked.

And then move them back again.

Yesterday, I’d had enough of this double defect board, and inspiration was not forthcoming. Doesn’t matter; time to cut it up and see what what’s what. I chalked the outline of the board, and ended up with one long piece that’s 4″ wide. I got 2x smaller rectangular pieces that will end up as routed bowls. Or something. And, I got a little bonus piece that … will find it’s way into a nook or cranny along with many other walnut pieces that look just like it.

I need a new plan.

Someday.

Put a knot in the middle of a board, and I get confused. And when you turn it over….

I finally chalked out the wood that I can salvage out of this mess.

First cut apart, and then reassembled to show what I’ve got.

The good wood that is now off the floor … and needs to go into my overflowing nooks and crannies.

Ultimately, this board had about 25% waste … so that’s only $5 that was truly wasted. The bad wood goes into my green waste barrel. I’m far, far beyond what I can burn in the pizza oven. Unfortunately.

Another problem: 2 years’ accumulation of end cuts and off cuts that I’ll make into routed bowls or something. Someday. I believe.

It drives Velda crazy. When I’m sanding, she really has no choice but to give up on housework. I become my own living version of Pigpen, and she knows that dust is going to come into the house, no matter what.

No. Matter. What.

I’ve got the big dust collection system, of course, but that is for the large tools like the Table Saw or the Drum Sander. Those tools are great as I begin to shape of the boards, and then smooth the glued-up blanks … but they have no place in finish sanding.

For that, I need hand tools. For that, I need sanding by hand. For that, I’m going to generate small dust particles, and there’s little to be done to collect that dust in my shop … so I thought I’d create my Do It Yourself Air Cleaning System.

I’ve seen this idea done with a plywood box containing the entire system, with air filters both in front of and behind the box fan. That was needless, I thought. I simply put one air filter behind the box fan so dust would be sucked onto the filter, and called it good. Come on, this is as low tech as you can get. Why complicate it with building a box to contain it?

The box fan was $40, and the filters are $4.50 each when you buy a 12-pack from Amazon. Does it solve the Pigpen problem? No. Does it help? Absolutely.

Dust does float … but then it lands.

The big dust collector sits unused when I go to finish sanding.

I have a lot of sanding to do. 70 boards are being finished this weekend.

I use two Bosch random orbital sanders. The 20 is the small, lighter sander I use for edges and corners. The larger sander is the 65, which is what I use for the tops & bottoms of every board. Use them, and dust flies – in spite of their stock, on-board dust filters.

Here’s the idea: a 20″ box fan on the end of the workbench …

… and a simple, disposable, air filter is in front of the box ban, trapping any air born particles that are sucked into the air going through the fan.

Once a board is cut to shape and smoothed by either the planer or the drum sander … then it’s time for me to generate the finest sawdust that’s detested by Mrs. M. Sanding is no one’s favorite job … I actually use 7 different sanding machines to get the boards smooth.

The router table is the only way to get smooth & consistent handholds in place.

I did a 3/8″ roundover on each edge, as well.

Sanding is never a snap. Dust collection helps, but I’m still covered in dust after sanding with seven different machines, working up through 5 different grits.

I often end up using every flat surface in the shop, and wish I had more. Everything gets draped in plastic, and boards are floating above the plastic on scrap lumber.

Dry, pre-oil. Colors are dull.

Add oil, and the colors are immediately vibrant.

When the board is coated with oil, the beauty of the wood is revealed.

After the wood is saturated with mineral oil, then a topcoat of beeswax mixed with mineral oil is hand rubbed onto each piece.

The wax topcoat dries, and is then wiped off just like Mr Miyagi taught The Karate Kid.

Feet are added to most boards after the wax is cleaned up. Holes have to be pre-drilled for the screws – the wood is too hard to simply drill in with a self-tapping screw. Further, many of the woods will crack if the holes are not pre-drilled.

Stainless steel screws hold the non-skid feet on each board.

Boards are wrapped with a jute cord, and a tag is attached that identifies the woods used, gives the price, and has complete care instructions on the back. If the board is being given as a gift, then I remove the price tag and replace it with a tag that has all of the original information except for the price.

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A very long time ago, I said that the purchase of a portable dish washer saved our marriage. It was a different time, and our first apartment didn’t have a dishwasher. Washing dishes was a point of, uh, discussion from time to time.

Our apartment didn’t have major appliances, but it did have live music every school morning; we got to listen to the Hart High marching band from across the street. Given that we were both working late nights at the time, it wasn’t a benefit, believe me.

The Sears Craftsman Dust Collector on a happier day.

But I digress.

Life has changed, of course, and we no longer need a portable dishwasher to add to our domestic bliss. The problem now is that I can be a dirty boy. Dirty, dirty boy.

I got cleaner, though, when I began to use a dust collector. The machine makes a huge difference in the amount of sawdust in the garage workshop air. And, if it’s not in the air, then I do not carry the sawdust into the house, much to Velda’s relief. I have an upgraded Sears Craftsman 1-1/2 HP, model 152.213370 that eliminates dust particles down to 1 micron in size. It is great.

Was great.

The dust collector gave up the ghost this week. The motor will no longer go: the on-board circuit breaker blows every time I hit start. I replaced the circuit breaker, hoping that was the issue … no joy.

This isn’t just a dirt problem, as I can’t use my drum sander or planer without a dust collector (those tools, you see, generate clouds of sawdust). I can’t easily build cutting boards without those tools. Using the other tools might be possible … but it would be dirty. Very dirty.

Luckily, I found a used, comparable replacement on Craigslist … and the motivated seller is delivering it to me today at 8am. And that, my friends, is a very good thing.

Here’s what happens when I run the router table without dust collection. Sawdust. Everywhere.

The dead not-a-tool moved out of the shop and into the queue for disposal.

The motor that gave it up after only 11 years. I know Sears no longer makes the unit, and they no longer offer replacement parts … but, really? It was working just last week!

The hole in the shop that needs filling. It’s been 10 years since this area of the shop was empty.

A few truths are clear about the most read posts of MowryJournal in the past year:

1. The series on Presidents found an audience … which still doesn’t include some of the members of my family. Just sayin’.

2. Velda’s recipes are three of the top posts … and alcohol is also the subject of three. Just sayin’.

3. After a steady devotion to exploring each of our 57 National Parks … only one makes the list of most read posts. It seems I have the same problem with readership that the Parks have with attendance, and we are the poorer for it, IMHO.

4. None of my woodworking posts make the list, though my post about the selection of cutting boards, with links to the science behind those choices, has made the list. Glad to help.

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1. When the dust collector is full, I need to empty it immediately. Turning it off and continuing to generate sawdust is a poor option. Breathing sawdust is why there is a dust collector. (repeat as often as necessary).

2. It’s great having lumber. It’s not great when you’re out of storage space. Again.

3. Jarrah is a pain to work with. Splintery as oak, harder than maple. And the dust is an irritant. Prices are going up.

4. I need to drink more.

5. Cutting board CAD is a thing. Designing at the computer, building in the shop … I’m getting better at what I do.

6. I need a drum sander. Really. I need it. I just don’t have anywhere to put it.

7. When the bee dive bombed me – again – while I was using the table saw, I was done playing. I discovered that a dust collector hose disposed of the problem, permanently. I need my dust collector.

If you’re thinking about buying a cutting board or cheese board for a Christmas present, this post should make the process a bit easier for you. This isn’t a retail site, and I’m not on etsy … but I can make you a custom, handmade board and have it in your hands by Christmas. Here are the questions you need to answer:

1. What size do you want?

Cheese boards are generally 8″ x 10″, and up to 12″ x 12″. Cheese boards are between 3/4″ and 1-1/4″ thick.

The serving pieces (the cheese & cracker servers, and the “surfboard” server) are about 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/4″.

Cutting boards can be any size … 8″ x 10″ up to 18″ x 24″. Boards are at least 1″ thick, up to 1-1/2″ thick.

2. What woods do you want?

I use hardwoods exclusively, both domestic and international (which are called exotic hardwoods by woodworkers. We’re a colorful bunch.).

Cheese boards can be made from any wood, really. Notably, they can include the more porous hardwoods such as Ash, Oak and Hickory.

Cutting boards should be made from “close-grained hardwoods, such as Hard Maple” according to the FDA. Well, OK, then. Here are the woods I typically use:

Cherry

Honey Locust

Jarrah (just bought some, and it won’t last long!)

Jatoba (AKA Brazilian Cherry)

Maple (AKA hard maple, rock maple or sugar maple)

Padauk

Purpleheart

Teak

Walnut (AKA black walnut)

Yellowheart

3. Edge grain or end grain?

The classic butcher block cutting board is end grain hard maple. This looks like a checker board design according to many. The ends of the boards stick up towards the cutting surface … and this kind of board will show less wear than an edge gain board.

# 1. Hard Maple end grain.

An edge grain board has the grain running the length of the board, and is generally described as a board full of stripes. This kind of board will show more wear, as the knife is cutting across the grain of the board. HOWEVER, these boards are made using hardwood, so they do not show wear as quickly as boards made of lower quality materials. Velda loves her edge grain board, and after a year of heavy use, it still looks like new when it’s got a fresh coat of mineral oil.

4. What do you want to spend?

Here are pictures and price ranges for the various sizes and kinds of boards. Some of those pictured are still available for sale; others will have to be built fresh by me. That’s OK … but remember, all boards are unique, so the grain patterns will vary in the board you receive if it’s a new build. However, if you can tell me what you like and what you don’t like, I’ll make sure you get something that’s perfect for you. I can even send you a picture in advance through this thing called the internet!

Buying A Board

1. Answer the 4 questions, above.

2. Look at the pictures, below. Click on the pictures to get them in a slide show with captions … or hover your mouse over the pictures to get the first part of the caption showing on this screen without clicking.

3. Tell me the answers to the 4 questions and the # or #s of the board(s) that you like.

4. If it’s in inventory, I’ll ship it to you directly. I can send you a paypal invoice, or you can send me a check. Mrs M’s Handmade, the parent company of Mr M’s Woodshop (HA!) does accept credit cards.

5. I have a new batch of boards that should be done by December 1. A second batch will follow for completion by December 15. All can be delivered by Christmas, guaranteed.

Cheese Boards, $30 – $60

These are examples only! The selection of woods and sizes makes the possibilities endless. That’s how it should be with handmade goods!

Currently, all boards come with routed handholds and non-skid rubber feet held on with stainless steel screws. Boards are finished with mineral oil, and then get a top coat of locally-harvested beeswax and mineral oil. Each board will come with a tag identifying the woods used along with complete care instructions.

Want a juice groove? Add $25.

If you would like to buy a board, please use the “Contact Us” form and I’ll be back to you directly.

Please note that I’m making only two more batches of boards for guaranteed Christmas delivery. If you are interested, now is the time to start talking to me about your board!

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Side note: the glue that I use is stronger than the wood that it connects together. Note the 1/4″ hard maple piece on the right, which is broken unevenly across the maple board. The glue held. Same is true of the much smaller hard maple piece on the left: the glue held, the board broke. This is a victory for my craftsmanship!

I was in the zone. I was pushing to get more boards done (sounds normal, right?). I was in the second table saw phase: cleaning up the boards after the glue-up. The boards needed the ragged ends cleaned up, and then each board needed to be cut to length.

And then it happened.

I was cutting off a ragged end … and the board caught on something. I pushed with a little more force … and then the broken pieces in the picture, right, caught the edge of the blade at an angle, CLANGED off of the blade guard, and then were launched into the back wall 30′ behind me.

The table saw: the most dangerous tool in the shop.

Luckily, I was working on the left side of the blade for this cut. My whole body, my hands, my arms … all were on the left side of the blade, and the end cuts launched from the right side of the blade. Missed me. Thank goodness.

My Sears Craftsman has a 10″ blade, and the motor runs at 3450 RPM. I did the math … and that’s a blade speed of over 100 MPH. That is nothing to mess with … and when something launches off of that blade, that is called kick back.

And that can be a very serious problem.

Whenever something happens unexpectedly in the shop, I take a step back and make sure I’m doing everything I can do to to work safely. It’s just me in the shop … so I have to look after myself. If I’m going to work safely, I need to know what I should do … and what I should not do. In every situation, every time.

What did I do wrong? I pushed. I didn’t clear the blade of the offcuts, I just tried to push through a problem. The result: kick back. Lesson learned.

I hope.

Some of the boards needed their sides to be cleaned up as well: I had a couple of end grain boards in the production process, and they needed to be squared up. No problem. For this cut, I used the fence on the right side of the blade, and I pushed the 12″ wide board through the blade with my right hand.

The result: I was standing directly behind the blade when the small 1/16″ cut off chips caught the left side of the blade, and launched directly back into my stomach.

Ouch.

What did I do wrong? Nothing. It really wasn’t a big deal, but it did smart. Wood chips flying at 100 MPH will do that when they hit you, y’know?

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Thank goodness MrsMowry came back to us for yesterday’s post after her first 12 weeks in the classroom! I needed a break from the diary format … as I am sure you did, too.

So, the staycation is over and now its time to share the photos of all of the lovely things I did on my staycation.

51 boards.

You love seeing photos of what other people do for fun, yes?

Good. Happy to share.

Click on the photos for enlargements, and note that the measurements offered are approximations only. I was too tired to be more accurate. Good thing I was through in the shop … for a day or three, anyway.

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So, if you’ve stayed with me through my 6 day staycation, perhaps you’re wondering WHY on earth did I subvert MowryJournal.com to this diary format about woodworking? Two reasons, really:

1. At last weekend’s little boutique, I sold 9 boards. While doing so, I had 2 different people ask me how long it takes me to make a board. I told them the truth (something that I do): “I have no idea.” After this week … I have an idea.

2. This weekend (hopefully as you are reading this!) is the Saugus High School Boutique Fantastique, featuring over a 100 vendors including, you guessed it, Mrs M’s Handmade. This event is in its 25th year, and is noteworthy for 2 reaons: it’s the biggest holiday boutique in our area, and in spite of living in our Saugus home for 24 years and putting 3 kids through Saugus High, we’ve never attended. That will change on Saturday. The Mrs M’s have been making lotions, balms, sprays & scrubs for weeks (New holiday scents! New manly scents!). And since I’m the hired muscle and will be there no matter what … I needed some boards to sell. Hopefully, a lot of them.So, I needed a staycation.